If I Could Reach The Stars
by dress without sleeves
Summary: James Potter bumps into Lily Evans one Hogsmeade weekend in 7th year. She agrees to go to the pub with him, and maybe, just maybe, it's the start of something beautiful... [Vignette]


_If I could reach the stars_

_I'd pull one down for you_

_Shine it on my heart_

_So you could see the truth_

_That this love inside_

_Is everything it seems_

_But for now I find_

_It's only in my dreams_

_That I can_

_Change the world_

_I would be the sunlight in your universe_

_You would think my love was really something good_

_Baby if I could_

_Change the world…_

_-Eric Clapton_

She wove her way through the crowd, red hair shimmering in the sunlight. She had shopping bags clutched in her hand and was looking worriedly about, as though trying to find someone. The she smiled as her eyes fell on a seventh year Ravenclaw and she held out her hand. He took it. They disappeared into the Three Broomsticks and he allowed himself to sigh.

James Potter slumped to the ground in defeat. He raked his fingers through his hair and lightly rested his head against the building's wall. The throng of students and shoppers moved passed him, not noticing the hunched figure.

He shut his eyes, pretending that _he_ was the one whose hand she was holding. She always smelled of kiwi, he knew; the barely tangible scent that made his senses reel. And her hair was silky and soft—he imagined what it would be like to run his fingers through it and let it drip into his ready, waiting palm.

"Potter?"

He looked up in surprise at the sound of her voice. Her emerald eyes sparkled down at him, narrowed in slight confusion. "Hey, Evans," he croaked, not quite able to meet her gaze. She frowned at him, still holding shopping bags. "I thought you were here with what's-his-name? The Ravenclaw?"

She rolled her eyes. "With him in what sense?" She asked, her eyes twinkling. "Literally, yes, I was with him; but no, I wasn't _with_ him."

He nodded, as though he didn't really care, and struggled to stand. He shoved his hands in his pockets. "Oh. Well, all right then." He studied the ground underneath his feet. "So, um…" She raised her eyebrows.

"Why are you in Hogsmeade?" She asked abruptly, cocking her head to the side. "I thought you said you had to study?"

He managed a small smile and shook his head. "Nah, I finished my homework ages ago. I only said that because…well, because I really didn't want to come here with Delilah." He blushed and traced the pattern of her shoelaces with his eyes.

Lily laughed. "Don't let her see you here, then," she said with a light smile. "She'll go nutters."

He grinned wryly and pushed his hand through his hair again; a nervous gesture. "No kidding," he muttered. "Well…I'll just…go, then?"

Her mouth opened a little, involuntarily. "Oh. All right, then." He nodded once and kicked at the ground with his left foot.

He raised his eyes slowly, almost frightened, and met her own. And then, before he could stop himself, he asked, "I'mgoingtotheThreeBroomstickswouldyouliketocomewithme?"

She rubbed her hand over her mouth, as though hiding a smile, and shrugged. "Sure."

His eyes bugged out. "Wait…really?" She laughed openly this time and nodded again. He stared blankly for a moment and then a grin spread across his face. "Oh. I…oh." She arched an eyebrow, apparently waiting for something, and then he laughed. "Good, then. Shall we?"

He escorted her into the little pub and they sat down comfortably. Rosmerta came over quickly and made a face of shock. "What's all this, then?" She asked, overjoyed. "Finally got her to go on a date with you, then, James?"

He blushed and looked down, choking out, "N-No, Rosie, we're just…eating. As friends." He glanced nervously at the girl across from him. "I think. I mean, acquaintances, maybe? O-Or classmates? Or…"

Lily rolled her eyes. "Friends," she assured him and the landlady. "Could I have a butterbeer, please?" Rosmerta beamed her assent and turned back to James, waiting for his order.

"Same," he muttered, looking hard at the desk. She nodded once and whisked away, her dress sweeping the floor as she did so. He cleared his throat nervously and studied his fingernails. "So, um, Evans…"

Her eyes twinkled. "I think friends ought to call one another by their first names, don't you?" She asked, her voice filled with laughter.

He coughed again. "What? Yeah—yeah…Lily…" He blushed as he said it—it was almost foreign on his tongue. He'd thought it plenty of times—_Oh, there goes Lily…Lily looks beautiful today… what I wouldn't give to be the guy holding Lily's hand…_—but had hardly ever said it out loud.

"So, James," she said casually, as though this happened every Hogsmeade weekend, "What are your plans for the summer hols?"

He grinned, relaxing slightly. "Don't have any," he said, delighted. "Sirius and I are probably going to lounge about all summer…and sleep." He laughed, buffing his nails on his shirt. "Well, _I'll_ be sleeping—Sirius will be working on that blasted motorcycle of his." He shook his head dryly, chuckling. "Trying to make it _fly—_can you believe it? _Fly_!"

He laughed again, and Lily seemed fascinated. "Are there really spells for that?" She asked, amazed. "Well—I mean, obviously there are, just look at Quidditch, but I always thought…"

"Yeah, there are spells," he said, shaking his head eagerly. "As a matter of fact, there are some really good ones. I mean, I've made stupid stuff fly before—like paper airplanes, or a broom of my mum's, but getting a motorbike to fly is really difficult. We've been researching it for a long time; probably about a year and a half. And since we can do magic out of school towards the end of the summer, we'll try putting some of those spells into action."

Lily chewed this over thoughtfully. "But how are you going to know if it works?" She asked finally. "Are you going to test it yourselves?"

James shrugged. "Well, I imagine Sirius will, since it's his bike, but I've been looking in the library for books on remote-controlling and that sort of thing. Just to be safe."

She laughed. "I never though I would here you say that," she told him, smiling. He grinned. "That's fascinating, though," she said. "I never thought…well, I mean, I guess you _could_ do that sort of thing, but…"

She paused. "Do…d'you think you could get…_people_ to fly? Without broomsticks?"

He raised an eyebrow, but thought it over. "I don't know," he said slowly, thinking. "I've never tried it, but…I imagine maybe…if you did the proper spells…but it's never been tested before, I don't know how safe it would be…something could go seriously wrong…"

She nodded, propping her elbow up on the table and resting her head in her hands. Her eyes were far away as she thought. Abruptly, Rosmerta returned and plopped their butterbeers on the table. "There you are, then," she said with a smile. Then she winked. "It's on the house, James. You've been generous enough in the past."

He blushed. "Yeah, yeah, away with you, woman!" The landlady laughed and gently smacked his head. He grinned at her as she moved away. "Sorry about her," he said, turning back to Lily. "She and I have an odd sort of relationship. Been coming here since I was miniature."

She laughed. "I'll bet," she teased, her eyes sparkling.

He grinned and shrugged, taking a sip of his drink. "_Evans_? _Lily Evans_ sitting with James Potter?"

Both turned their heads to find a whole group of students staring at them. Lily quirked an eyebrow. "So it would seem," she agreed, looking perplexed.

"But…_why_?" One finally blurted. "I mean…you _hate_ him!"

James blushed crimson and looked at his lap for a moment before recovering. He flashed Lily a lopsided, _follow-my-lead_ sort of grin. "Ouch," he moaned, putting a hand to his chest. "Do you really, Evans?"

She seemed surprised at his sudden use of her last name, but went along with it. "Absolutely, Potter," she teased, her face perfectly straight. "I hate you so much I…I could sit with you in the Three Broomsticks and have a butter beer!"

He gasped, burying his head in his hands. "Oh, Evans!" He whined. "Why do you torture me thus?"

"Well, because I hate you. I should think that would be obvious."

He winked at her. "Tell me, Evans. How do you resist my charm?" He smiled at the nearest girl—a Hufflepuff. She blushed and looked at her hands. The redhead rolled her eyes and dipped her fingers in her drink, lightly flicking some at him.

"Take_ that,_ you rogue!" She laughed as he blinked, wiping the stuff off of his nose.

He grinned. "Blast, you got me," he said, gasping. He promptly slumped out of his chair and onto the floor. He convulsed twice and then was still.

"Well, that's very good then," he heard Lily tell the group of students. "Move along, now."

He got up, still grinning. "Quite the actress, aren't you, Lily?" He asked, running his fingers through his hair.

She smirked. "Runs in the family, James," she replied.

He laughed and stood, offering her his hand. She let him lead her out of the pub, after he'd scrawled a quick thank-you to Rosmerta on a napkin, and then they stood, somewhat awkwardly, in the street. "Thank you for coming with me," he told her sincerely. "I had a lot of fun, in spite of the…_interruption._"

She smiled at him. "I had fun, too, believe it or not," she replied. Then she approached quickly, and gave him a soft peck on the cheek. "I'll see you around." She hurried off, her cheeks crimson, and disappeared along the path that led back to Hogwarts.

"Oi—Prongs! Was or was that not Lily Evans kissing you on the cheek?" He turned to his best friends and raised an eyebrow.

"Lily Evans? Kissing me? I don't know what you're talking about," he told them, following as they led him into Zonko's. But as they turned and couldn't see him, he gently pressed his fingers to his cheek.

"See you around, Lily," he murmured.


End file.
